Baby of Mine
by Lou Buggins
Summary: A loving moment between mother and daughter. Based off of the classic song, "Baby of Mine" originally sung by Bette Midler. Paring is BBRae.
Raven never was much of a social butterfly. Sure when she was very young, she would try to be friendly to the other children of Azarath. When the other children would play outside, she would watch from a distance, wanting nothing more than to join them, but never having the courage to make the first move. Luckily, one of the children would notice her and offer a smile and a gesture to invite her in. Happy, and yet cautious, she would make her way over to them. Very quickly, she would find herself enjoying the childish games the other children would come up with, and it was that enjoyment that led to disaster. The moment she felt herself have fun, her powers would cause havoc. After that, the other children would never look at her the same. If they weren't hiding from her, they were teasing her. So it should come to no surprise that she tended to avoid any and all social situations.

Her daughter wasn't like her though. No she had to be like her father. She loved people, all people. While Raven was the one to wait before being invited, her daughter was the one doing the inviting. Like her father, Maria thrived on human interaction and she had a deep need for acceptance, which only made this day even harder.

Raven had taken Maria out for some mother, daughter time. Mainly because Garfield had taken Mark, their son, for some "guy time" as he put it, and highly encouraged Raven a "girl's day" with Maria. One on one interaction with her daughter was difficult for her, considering her daughter was only five. So the best thing Raven could think of was to take her to her favorite place, the Jump City Public Playground. There were always lots of kids her age that loved to play with the child of a super hero. Garfield had just begun her training in shape shifting, so she was able to shift into small, cute animals that would earn her more friends than she could count. Unfortunately, the kids didn't feel the same way about Maria's other powers.

Raven didn't hear what the other kids said, nor did she ever see them taunt her precious child. All she knew was that little, five-year old Maria Logan came rushing to her mother with tears streaming down her face. Raven's heart stopped when she heard her daughter's raspy, high-pitched voice call her name. Before Raven could react, Maria jumped into her mother's arms, squeezing her waist and barring her face into her mother's stomach.

"Maria!" Raven shouted in surprise. Maria ignored her mother's shout as she continued to sob on to her mother's uniform. Raven looked down upon her weeping child, and felt her heart melt at the unpleasant sight. She wrapped her arms around the little girl's tiny body and embraced her in a small hug.

"Shh…hush dear. It's okay." Raven tried to comfort her weeping daughter. She placed one of her hands on Maria's head, and gently she stroked her daughter's long purple hair. This action seemed to help calm the young child, as her sobbing slowly turned into whimpering. She carefully lifted her head to look up at her mother with tear-filled eyes.

"Momma…am I…a monster?" Maria asked her mother in a shaky voice. Raven's control was now lost, and her powers engulfed the book she had cast aside and within moments the book exploded. Both mother and daughter jumped at the sudden sound. Raven didn't know what to say. Surly, the other kids didn't know about her daughter's ancestry. Still, worry and fear began to pool into her as she thought about having to explain to her innocent daughter that she wasn't a monster, but that a monster indeed lived inside her. She had known that one day, she would have to explain to both her children about where their powers come from, and why those powers had to be controlled. She just wasn't prepared for that day to be now. She silently wished Garfield were here now, for he was always so good at explaining the more _difficult_ issues for their children's young minds to comprehend. As the moments of silence passed between mother and daughter, Maria stood patiently in front of her mother while she waited for Raven to formulate an appropriate answer.

"Maria dear," Raven began, looking straight into her daughters rich, amethyst colored eyes. "You are not a monster." She said slowly, dragging out every word. "You are beautiful, and smart, and a natural leader. One day, you shall make a brilliant hero. You're powers might seem strange to other people, and maybe even to you at first, but eventually they will grow with you and you'll be able to do some amazing things." She finished by using her right hand to gently push back the loose strands of hair from her daughter's face. Maria sniffled, but she still gave her mother a small smile. Maria climbed onto her mother's lap and Raven instinctively cradled her tiny body, and rocked them both back and forth on the park bench. Raven knew her daughter was a "daddy's girl," but for a rare moment, the young girl sought out the comfort of her mother.

Being a parent has brought out in her many different "un-Raven-like" characteristics. Her maternal instincts surprised even her. So once again, was she surprised that without a single thought, she began to sing a little song to her little girl. She had heard the song before, on some movie about elephants that Garfield had made her watch. She remembered enjoying the sweet tone, and the touching moment between mother and child, but never had she thought that one day she would share in that sweet moment. Yet, here she was, softly singing her own children's lullaby, "Baby of Mine."

"Baby mine, don't you cry

Baby mine, dry your eyes

Rest your head close to my heart

Never to part, baby of mine

Little one when you play

Don't you mind what they say

Let those eyes sparkle and shine

Never a tear, baby of mine

If they knew sweet little you

They'd end up loving you too

All those same people who scold you

What they'd give just for

The right to hold you

From your head to your toes

You're so sweet, goodness knows

You are so precious to me

Sweet as can be, baby of mine."


End file.
